Copa Airlines announces new route to Mendoza, their fourth destination in Argentina

The airline expands its network of destinations to 75 cities in 31 countries in North, Central, South America and the Caribbean, with Mendoza as the fourth province of the Argentina that connects the airline with the rest of the continent.

With this new route, Copa Airlines strengthens the economy of the northeastern provinces of Argentina, opening new opportunities for tourism and commercial development with the rest of the American continent.

Panama City, june 26, 2017

Copa Airlines (NYSE: CPA), a subsidiary of Copa Holdings S.A. and member of the global Star Alliance airline network, announced its new direct flight between the Panama City and Mendoza, Argentina, starting the 15 of November 2017, with 4 weekly flights between the two cities, strengthening Argentina's connectivity with the rest of the continent.

“With the opening of the new route to Mendoza, we begin a new chapter in the connectivity between The Americas and Argentina. For 18 years, Copa Airlines has served this wonderful country, connecting it with the rest of the continent through our Hub of the Americas in Panama City, Panama. With flights to Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario and, now, to Mendoza, we will continue opening doors to tourism, economic development and job creation in Argentina," said Pedro Heilbron, Executive President of Copa Airlines. "For many years, Mendozans have flown with us to their preferred destinations of North America, Central America and Caribbean, and with this new flight they can now do so more conveniently from the El Plumerillo Airport of Mendoza”, Heilbron claimed.

Heilbron also stressed that "Mendoza is one of Argentina's wealthiest provinces, since it offers a wide selection of diverse tourist attractions throughout the year, enticing all kinds of visitors and tourists. Thanks to the opening of this new route, travelers from all over The Americas are now able to visit the provinces of Northeast Argentina, giving the tourism industry and economy of the region a boost.”

The Minister of Tourism of Argentina, Gustavo Santos, also added, "We are thrilled to be that much more connected to the rest of the world. The addition of the Mendoza flight adds to the total connectivity that Copa Airlines has in our country. Now, passengers have even more flexibility and can arrive in Rosario, Córdoba and Mendoza without the need to connect in the country’s capital, Buenos Aires. This is in line with the country’s vision for a more connected Argentina and its goals toward a more productive tourism industry.”

Flight CM 420 will operate initially with four weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, departing at 3:40 p.m. from the Tocumen International Airport in Panama, arriving at 12:21 a.m. to the El Plumerillo international airport in Mendoza, Argentina. The return flight, number 421 CM, will depart the El Plumerillo Airport on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 1:34 a.m., arriving in Panama at 6:30 a.m.

Mendoza, the fourth province with the highest number of inhabitants in Argentina, was declared as "the tenth wine capital" by la Red Global de Vino (Global Wine Network). The honor was presented in the French city of Bordeaux by a distinguished network of professionals whose objective is to establish relationships among its members, and explore matters about culture, tourism, education, research and marketing as it relates to wine.

Mendoza is a city in Argentina’s Cuyo region and the heart of Argentina's wine country, famed for Malbecs and other red wines, and has important cultural and tourism attractions. One of them is la Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia (The National Grape Harvest Festival), named by the National Geographic Society as the second most important harvest festival in the world, behind Thanksgiving celebrated in the United States. This event is also known for its large and festive parades considered among the five most important and popular festivities on the planet, along with Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and Carnival in Venice. In addition, the Cordillera de los Andes attracts Argentines and foreigners interested in seeing the mountainous landscapes as well as sports enthusiast with an interest in climbing, rafting or skiing.

Founded in 1947, Copa Airlines transported more than 12.8 million passengers in 2016. Copa Airlines currently operates an average of 350 departures and arrivals daily through its Hub of the Americas in Panama City, Panama, the air hub with more international connections in Latin America. Recently, it has been recognized for the third consecutive year by Skytrax as the "Best Airline in Central America and the Caribbean" and for the second consecutive year as "Best Airline Staff in Central America and the Caribbean." In addition, for the past four years, Flight Stats has recognized COPA as “The most punctual airline of Latin America.” For its work, the Official Airline Guide (OAG), the world's largest airline itineraries database, honored Copa Airlines for the second consecutive year as the "Second Most Punctual Airline in the World.”